What “drench” do you have her on?
@findeight Great Ideas!
I know many people who are supplement crazy like you mentioned 😜 I see why, there’s so many supplement ads and sponsored riders it’s hard to tell what works and what’s just a gimmick.
The only ones she is on are recommended by the vet.
@findeight Great Ideas!
I know many people who are supplement crazy like you mentioned 😜 I see why, there’s so many supplement ads and sponsored riders it’s hard to tell what works and what’s just a gimmick.
The only ones she is on are recommended by the vet.
Alfalfa has been known to cause photosensitivity on horses with touchy livers.
If that is what is going on, may want to get a different source of protein.
I would still rule out HERDA just because, not knowing the breeding behind her:
https://www.animalgenetics.us/equine/genetic_disease/herda.asp
What weight gain supplements are you feeding?
I would not recommend anything like that for now. They are not going to put weight on a horse that has been starved. She needs hay/forage and time.
Do not put her on any other supplements until the vet has evaluated her skin condition.
More is not better. Supplements are to support a diet that is deficient - not to fix a horse that has been neglected. They don’t work retroactively. If your current diet is not deficient, there is likely no benefit (but possibly harm) by adding supplements.
What “drench” are you using - I ask because no one calls horse dewormers “drenches”.
@Karak , what did the vet say today? I’m really curious what the diagnosis (and treatment) is. Always like to learn and this is definitely not something I’ve experienced before. Anyway, wishing for a speedy recovery for her.
Ill let you know as soon as I do! I’m very curious. I ended up not making today after truck problems
Its been about two months of slowly adding in the feed and supplements the vet recommended 😄 She’s on manna pro senior weight gain and another one. It’s definitely made a difference and she’s gained a lot.
The “drench” I’m referring to is a powder the vet gave us in an unlabeled container besides a sharpie that says drench (he buys the product in built and sells smaller amounts I believe) no it’s not a dewormer 😂 she gets a few tablespoons of that a day, I need to ask him again exactly what’s in it but basically it’s a dosage of things to help her stomach after being starved? I’ll get the specifics!
Ive heard about that! I’m not sure what she ate before us but I know now she isn’t on alfalfa.
Okie! Thank you â¤ï¸
Yeah that seems to be most likely. All great advice!
Do uv protection blankets work like shade? She’s been on stall rest before and hates it 😂
We stopped sprays recently with her skin. But also great advice!
Okie! I’ll look into that for sure!
My pinto mare is highly susceptible to sunburn. I have her at a farm full of pintos and she’s the only one who burns do badly. She’s perfectly healthy, too, so it isn’t a nutritional issue with her.
The first pic looks exactly like my mare does when she burns. Of course you need to have the vet look at your horse but you’ll probably find that she needs to wear a fly sheet to prevent sunburn. And yes, if you get a good sheet with high UV rating, it will work. The biggest problem is protecting the face if she has pink skin there but there are good fly masks designed for that, too.
Oh, and I have to be careful what products I use on her because she reacts badly to some fly sprays and shampoos.
Congrats on your new horse! Hopefully you’ll find that it’s just sunburn. Having a sunburn-prone horse can be a PITA but it doesn’t usually result in major health issues or costs (though good fly sheets, masks, and zinc oxide aren’t exactly cheap 🙄).
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Is your vet an equine vet?
Of course your horse is gaining weight because she’s eating food. Most refeeding programs do not include supplements and carefully introduce concentrates; but if it’s been two months it is unlikely to be a problem. Google “refeeding syndrome” if you’re curious.
I’ve never heard anyone give a horse a “drench”. Cattle or sheep, yes. And it’s for deworming/parasite control (internal and external). I’d want to know what exactly you’re giving - especially since something is obviously a problem for her at this point in time.
From other posts it sounds like sunburn may be the problem for your mare, but certain medications can make animals (and people) more susceptible to sunburn.
I am sorry if this is a stupid question but what is HERDA A friend of mine’s horse has the same problem. She has had several vets involved. Horse is a Paint, vets think it is photosensitivity but don’t know why this is happening now. i am not sure exactly what the horse is being treated with but he is now stalled during the day and out at night.
HERDA:
https://www.animalgenetics.us/equine…ease/herda.asp
https://www.vgl.ucdavis.edu/services/herda.php
A local breeder had one stallion that produced the at that time rare HERDA affected offspring.
That was before anyone knew of it, it seems to be a new mutation.
He gelded that stallion and bought all offspring anyone would sell back to him.
Being a recessive gene and today we can test for it, if someone has such a stellar individual with HERDA they choose to breed it anyway, they need to be very clear to never bred it to another positive horse, so as to avoid that heartache.
Any more, ethical breeders try to not use any but 5 panel negative individuals for breeding purposes.
Thank you Bluey, I will contact my friend to see if she is aware of this.
The results are in!
The vet confirms it’s a severe sunburn with the possibility of HERDA. He wants to see her gain more weight and muscle before he decides what exactly causes her sensitive and extra wrinkly skin.
The treatment: keep the affected area out of the sun, apply some ointment, and give frequent baths. I bought a slinky that perfectly goes around her white area so she can still be outside without the sun harming her so much. The severity of the sunburn was a result of the extreme summer we’ve had in Texas in addition to her previous malnutrition. It appeared worse with the wrinkles and already sensitive skin, and the dead skin pealing off.
On the positive side, after two months since she was last weighed at the vet she has gained 116 pounds!!!
Shes already looking better ☺ï¸
Glad to read that it’s “just” sunburn. HERDA is an easy test, just sending off hair samples (mane or tail) with the root attached to UC Davis. How old do you estimate she is? Double HERDA horses don’t usually have a long life.
I agree that testing for HERDA would save you a lot of guessing if it’s that simple. What difference would it make if she gains more weight or not?
What is the purpose of frequent baths?
Did you find out what the “drench” is?
Agreed, I’m going to have her tested for it.
It would make a difference because in some cases, a horse is so malnourished it develops loose skin where it lost mass. Her neck was unproportional and super thin at the time.
The frequent baths where necessary so I could apply a treatment and wash it off.
I believe it was similar to probiotics, basically different things to aid digestion. ðŸ˜
UPDATE:
It’s been a while since I posted, and Dawn has gained 100+ pounds and has become a beautiful horse! Her conformation is now amazing… well besides her neck. It’s such a mystery.